For Immediate Release
June 1, 2023
Saskatoon—Supporters of a strong public healthcare system joined SEIU-West members at the Saskatoon Cabinet Office to highlight the need for government investment in the patients, clients, and residents and the people who care for them in this province.
In our most recent update, we had identified to our SEIU-West members that vacation banks, time in lieu banks and stat/pro-stat banks would be posted in your workplaces by the end of March. Unfortunately, it was only recently brought to our attention that this did not happen
For Immediate Release
April 5, 2023
Saskatchewan—In what seems to be an attempt to ignore the legitimate concerns of the largest classification of union members in the health care sector, Minister Everett Hindley declared in a legislative committee that Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs) don’t deserve any retention initiatives because they are paid to do the job they do, and that’s retention enough.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and SEIU-West have resolved the outstanding grievances filed in response to the Proof of Vaccination/Monitored Testing Program.
May 5 is the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. This is an important day, as families and loved ones of women and girls who have been murdered, or are currently missing, remember their sisters, mothers, daughters, aunties, and friends. This day is often called Red Dress Day, in recognition of the Red Dress Project. The following was submitted by SEIU-West member by Freda Weeseekase.
The Municipal Employees’ Pension Commission (MEPC, the Commission) met on March 17, 2023.
Date: April 28, 2023
Greetings Sisters, Brothers, and Colleagues,
Your SEIU-West bargaining committee continued negotiations with the employer committee consisting of the Sienna Director of Labour & Employee Relations Dea Mantel, and your facility manager Dianne Aasen, on April 26th, 2023. The union committee presented a package that included the issues you identified at the April 19th unit membership meeting, including a wage proposal with a pay grid. Sienna responded to the complete package late in the day, pretty well rejecting every one of our monetary proposals as well as proposals to fix the hours of work issues.
A message from the SEIU-West Nursing Care Committee:
The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour will join the picket line at the Saskatoon CRA Building, located at 340 3rd Avenue North on Thursday April 27 at 12:00. You are invited to show up and join in solidarity with 155,000 PSAC members who are on strike across Canada.
April 26 is Administrative Professionals Day and we are so excited to celebrate the hard working Administrative Professionals in all of our workplaces! Administrative Professionals include Medical Office Assistants, Receptionists, Secretaries, Office Assistants, Office Administration Assistants, Office Managers, Finance Officers, Clinic Assistants and more! They are often among the few people who know the entire workings of an organization, as they are responsible for the administration and operations of every department and role.
International Worker's Day, sometimes called May Day or Labour Day, takes place annually on May 1. This day is a celebration of labourers and the working class and commemorates the historic and ongoing struggles of the labour movement. In the late 1800's, workers came together to fight for safer work environments and an eight-hour workday, demanding eight hours for work, eight hours for rest, and eight hours to do as they will. These workers struggled and fought, eventually taking to the streets in a general strike that would result in death and injury to those who participated.
Linen Worker Appreciation Week is April 23 – 29 and provides us with the opportunity to recognize and appreciate the people responsible for the cleaning of textiles used in health care facilities. These hard-working professionals are responsible for cleaning textiles and linens, a critical component to reducing the spread of illness and ensuring that clients, residents, and staff have access to clean linens throughout their day.
Solidarity is a foundational principle of the labour movement. It allows trade unionists to come together and flex our collective power in support of our brothers, sisters, and comrades who have taken the decision to withhold their labour in an effort to reach a fair and equitable collective agreement at the bargaining table.
For Immediate Release
April 17, 2023
Saskatchewan—On the heels of Medical Laboratory Week (April 9-15), Medical Laboratory Technologists (MLTs) represented by SEIU-West are reporting that daily staffing issues that are leading to added stress, burn out, and retention issues.
Date: April 14, 2023
Greetings Sisters and Brothers,
The Union and the Employer agreed to resume collective bargaining with West Park Crossing on February 17th and 24th 2023, and got off to a productive restart. Additional dates were set to meet on April 13th, 20th and 26th. The April 13th bargaining date ended with most of the “language” proposals being dealt with, and agreed to, or withdrawn.
In our most recent update, we had identified to our SEIU-West members that vacation banks, time in lieu banks and stat/pro-stat banks would be posted in your workplaces by the end of March. Unfortunately, it was only recently brought to our attention that this did not happen